LeBron James and Kevin Durant’s playoff encounters over the years
As the Houston Rockets prepare to take on the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET on ABC), this could signify the final postseason encounter between LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
Even at this stage in their careers, both James and Durant have continued to perform at an impressive level throughout the regular season.
At 41 years old, James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds across 60 games. Durant, aged 37, recorded an average of 26 points per game, marking his 19th consecutive season of scoring at least 25 points. He also matched James with 13 seasons of averaging at least 25 points per game while shooting over 50% from the field.
James and Durant have met in the playoffs three times, all during the NBA Finals. Each encounter has been significant, and this latest matchup may signify the conclusion of a chapter for one or both athletes.
Hereβs a retrospective on the playoff confrontations between James and Durant over the years.
2012 NBA Finals
Durant stood as a barrier to James’ first championship after leading the Oklahoma City Thunder on an impressive run to the Finals. The Thunder swept the defending champion Dallas Mavericks in the first round, overcame Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in the subsequent round, and then defeated the San Antonio Spurs in six games.
Awaiting Oklahoma City was a Miami Heat team that had battled through the Boston Celtics in seven games to reach the Finals. The Heat also had additional motivation following their 2011 Finals loss to the Mavericks.
However, the Thunder claimed Game 1 with Durant scoring 36 points, while Russell Westbrook contributed 27 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds. The Heat bounced back with a victory in Game 2, initiating a streak of four consecutive wins to secure the championship.
James was awarded Finals MVP after averaging 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game. Durant performed admirably as well, averaging 30.6 points and six rebounds. This marked the beginning of back-to-back championships for James and the final season of Oklahoma City’s trio of Durant, Westbrook, and James Harden.
2017 NBA Finals
This matchup garnered significant attention following the previous year’s events, where James and the Cavaliers made a remarkable 3-1 comeback against the 73-9 Warriors to clinch the championship. Durant subsequently joined the Golden State Warriors, setting the stage for a potential rematch in the Finals.
The Warriors entered the championship round with a perfect 12-0 record, while the Cavaliers lost only one game during their Eastern Conference playoff journey. It was anticipated to be a heavyweight clash, but Golden State appeared to be in a league of its own, winning the first two games by a combined margin of 41 points.
The Warriors secured Game 3 by five points, highlighted by a crucial 3-pointer from Durant over James. The Cavaliers managed to win Game 4 to extend their season. Golden State ultimately closed out the series in the next game, granting Durant his first championship.
He averaged 35.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists to earn Finals MVP honors. James averaged 33.6 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists per game, becoming the first player in NBA Finals history to average a triple-double.
Just as the 2012 Finals concluded one chapter of Durant’s career, this Finals marked a turning point for James: His co-star, Kyrie Irving, would be traded in the offseason.
2018 NBA Finals
The Warriors’ return to the pinnacle of the sport in 2018 was not unexpected, but their opponents, the Cavaliers, seemed an unlikely matchup.
Cleveland finished fourth in the Eastern Conference and navigated two seven-game series to reach the Finals. James had arguably his most impressive postseason performance, averaging 34 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 8.8 assists in 41.3 minutes per game to lead the Cavaliers to the final round. Golden State, finishing second in the West, had to win a Game 7 on the road against the Rockets to continue their pursuit of consecutive titles.
This set the stage for the fourth consecutive NBA Finals meeting between the two teams, and Game 1 was nothing short of chaotic. JR Smith secured an offensive rebound but infamously dribbled out the clock with less than five seconds remaining and the score tied, leading to overtime.
Golden State ultimately triumphed in the extra period despite James’ 51 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. The Warriors would go on to win the next three games, sweeping the Cavaliers for another championship.
This series marked Durant’s most recent championship title to date and potentially the last time James would play for his hometown team.
